RE: PCSAT Cost and Satellites

Someone asked:
>
>What resources did you use to learn how to build a satellite???
>I'm sure there is more involved than just putting together some
parts.
Well, the easy answer is get a degree in Aerospace, EE and Systems
engineering. But assuming that you are talking about a bunch of
HAMS that already know how to build radios and modulators
and demodulators, then all they need to do is this:
1) Make it gosh-awful reliable
2) Make it work in a Vacuum
3) Make it work under tremendous vibration
4) Make it work HOT (60C) and cold (-40C)
5) Thermal design is absolutely cricical. The wrong
color paint can change your temperature 100 degrees
6) Every possible bad state it can get in, IT WILL.
7) Make it ALWAYS recoverable from ANY state
8) Design a power system based on the orbit and sun angles.
9) FInd someone to launch it for you and who will
feel commfortable putting your bucket of bolts on
their $100,000,000 launcher
10) IE, it must be SAFE, SAFE, SAFE, SAFE
11) It must not outgass or do anything that would
harm other payloads and not have ANY parts
that will separate even for the next 100 years..
etc...
12) Have several bureaucrats working for you that
have years of free time to handle and produce all
the paperwork needed.
Thats about all there is to it..
Bob
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Sent via amsat-bb@amsat.org. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
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